QUENNELL CALLS FOR BETTER MANAGEMENT OF DANGEROUS OFFENDERS

Released on October 17, 2006

Saskatchewan Justice Minister Frank Quennell led the call by provinces for more effective management of sexual or violent offenders at last week's meeting of federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of Justice.

"I am pleased that the federal government intends to introduce legislation that responds to Saskatchewan's recommendations," Quennell said.

Saskatchewan's Justice Minister said the province has specifically asked the federal government to:

1) Clarify the onus and eligibility criteria for dangerous offenders in the Criminal Code;

2) Make the breach of a long term offender order grounds for a dangerous offender application;

3) Double the current 12 month limit for a recognizance order for high risk offenders;

4) Provide more resources for the "national flagging system", so as to better alert prosecutors to the histories of high risk offenders in other jurisdictions; and

5) Make changes to the national sex-offender registry to make it more accessible to police services.

The provinces and territories unanimously supported a resolution by Saskatchewan for increased and stable long-term funding for criminal legal aid and new funding for civil legal aid.

"We also want to see a return to the former 50/50 funding formula," Quennell said.

The provinces and territories were also unanimous in their support of a Saskatchewan resolution that emphasized the importance of continued and significantly increased, levels of federal funding for Aboriginal justice programs.

Quennell said that throughout the meetings the provinces and territories stressed the need for the new federal government to work with them.

"The federal government must recognize that its agenda for change to our criminal justice system is very costly for policing, the courts, prosecutions, legal aid and corrections," Quennell said. "If we are to meet our common goals of public safety, the federal government must work with the provinces and territories and must be willing to invest federal money in the changes it is proposing."

-30-

For More Information, Contact:

Andrew Dinsmore Justice Regina Phone: (306) 787-8606